


The heart of a hero

by RainbowNixie



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s03e22 The Last Adventure, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, They deserved a better interaction why lie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 12:15:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30139425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowNixie/pseuds/RainbowNixie
Summary: Drake cannot help but worry about his loved sidekick (a rewrite of THAT Launchpad scene in the finale).
Relationships: Drake Mallard/Launchpad McQuack
Comments: 15
Kudos: 62





	The heart of a hero

Drake felt his legs shaking the moment he heard Launchpad’s already weak voice trying to keep fighting. The sight in front of him only made the superhero’s body get weak and his eyes sting, along with a lump in his throat that kept him from screaming LP’s name. He had tried to stay positive. To believe in him. Because of course he believed in his best friend. But the hope had started to fade out, and now? Now Drake wanted to beg and cry and give up. Launchpad was usually the one that kept them together. The one that made him keep going. But now it was Darkwing Duck’s turn to support his sidekick, and he couldn’t even get out of that stupid glass box. Drake was supposed to fight beside him. They were supposed to have each other’s backs. But now he was forced to see a bunch of villains beating his best friend up, without being able to do anything. He needed  _ something _ .  _ Anything _ . A sign. An inspirational song. A plot twist. Something that he could handle. Something that his old, theatre kid, could manage. Because, if he couldn’t even save his own sidekick, was he really worthy of being a hero?

Drake’s insecurities were interrupted by another sound. Launchpad’s voice. That voice he had heard many times before. That joyful, happy, and sweet but loud and excited voice was now just… Pain. Hurt. Sadness. His family was more important than his duty as a hero, and that damned glass was keeping him away from them. Drake couldn’t feel anything else than a hopeless ache in his chest, and his body trembling in fear. He kept staring at LP, who was still standing, but clearly losing his strength. The superhero just wanted to break the glass and get out and  _ oh _ … Die for him. He was more than ready to get out and fight all of those villains all alone so Launchpad could be safe. But he knew damn well that’s not how a team worked, and even less how a superhero acted. Drake needed to  _ believe _ . But it was hard, seeing the love of his life being on the edge.

Drake ignored the hot tears rolling down his face, and tried to make the lump disappear as he leaned against the glass. “Please- No. No, no, no, no.” He kept repeating for a while, choking from time to time on his sobbing. “Not LP. Not him. Not my sidekick. Not him.” He still believed in Launchpad, but seeing him like that was just making him sick. LP was more than capable to keep fighting, and getting up multiple times if necessary. But he needed a little  _ push _ . A little  _ something _ to believe in himself.

And Drake couldn’t even give him that. 

Drake was still focused on trying to not fall onto the ground when he heard Fenton’s voice beside him. “He’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Launchpad can do it.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Because that’s what he always does, right?” Fenton was clearly worried too, but still had  _ hope _ . Thing that Drake was trying to grip onto for a bit more. “He’s never given up. He’s always been there for us. Right now he just… Needs us to be there for him.”

And all of a sudden, Drake stopped shaking. His heartbeat started to speed in a different way, for a different reason. The tears had stopped falling, and as he cleaned the dry ones off his feathers, memories started playing in his brain. It was like a movie, even. Launchpad making breakfast for both of them, driving late at night from Duckburg to St.Canard… Him smiling, laughing, eating, playing cards with Gosalyn… The hugs, the hand-holding, the loving stares Launchpad probably thought Drake didn’t notice. The late nights with Gos watching Darkwing Duck, and making her uncomfortable with stories about his ex-significant others. He was so comforting. And loving. And sweet. 

And Drake knew exactly what he had to do now.

“Here me out, LP!” He shouted, as Launchpad moved around the room trying to defend himself the best he could. “You got this, buddy! You’re strong, and smart, and the best sidekick I could ask for. You’ve always got my back, and you know I’m always gonna be here for you. And It might seem like you’re alone, but you aren’t! I’m here- We- We’re here with you, LP! And right now we need you to keep fighting. For us. For-“ 

Launchpad crashed into the glass again, letting out a huge painful sound. “I’m sorry.” He said, struggling to even talk properly. “I- I can’t-“

“Pal.” Drake put a hand on the glass. Trying to, somehow, be closer to him. “You can. You are the only one who can do this. And you definitely can.” Launchpad turned around a little, connecting their glances. He was so… Tired. That broke Drake’s heart into a million pieces, but still smiled softly. “Do it for Gos. For the McDucks. For everyone who loves you.” He held back his tears again. “Do it for me? LP?”

In no time, without an answer given, Launchpad ended up on the floor. Exhausted, and finally giving up. “I- I can’t- I’m not a hero.”

And that was, probably, the craziest thing anyone had ever said that day. “Not a hero? For God’s sake, LP! Not only you are my sidekick, but you’re my soul. You’re the one who makes me keep going. The one who, in the first place, made me be Darkwing Duck! You are there when no one else is, and that’s what being a hero truly means.” They looked at each other once again, and Drake kept smiling and trying to not choke on his own tears. “You’re my hero, LP. My soulmate. My- The- Just-“ He tried to find the correct words, but everything was going so fast he couldn’t even think properly. Drake’s mind was a mess, his heart was beating faster and faster by seconds, and a wave of pride took over him. “I love you. So, so much. And you’ve inspired us all.”

There was a silence between them for a second, that made everyone else disappear. It was a silent agreement, in a language only the two of them knew. It was a  _ ‘me too’  _ dressed up as a tiny smile. Because, in a way, they already knew. But it slowly disappeared, as Launchpad looked down again. “I still don’t think I can-“

“That’s ridiculous! You’ve inspired me to be a hero!”

“And me, pal.”

“Same here.” Drake let go a sigh of relief, hearing his daughter’s voice again.

“And I as well, earth Launchpad!” 

The whole room started to light up, full of deserved compliments towards LP and all the support he needed to hear. It wasn’t just that, though. It was the truth. 

“We may be heroes. But you have the heart of one.”

And Drake had never been more proud to say that, Launchpad McQuack was, indeed, both his sidekick and the love of his life.


End file.
